User blog:At0mCryptid/Taxonomy
Hello all, Alright, I probably should've written this sooner but I have an idea for categories. My plan is to create a taxonomy based system of categories that would allow people to find cryptids easier. For instance, if I want to find some obscure bigfoot-like creature that I don't know the name of I have to scroll through 28 pages of humanoids to find what I want with listings from lizardmen to dogmen to even aliens. In a taxonomy based system I would need to select Animalia, next Chordata, then Mammalia, and finally Primata. With a taxonomic system there would be less choices to scroll through. I don't know about you all but for me it is way easier for me to use smaller categories and go back then scroll through a category. For example, if I refresh the page I get taken back to page 1 and if I go back from a cryptid I just clicked I also get sent back to page 1. A taxonomy based system would be way less complicated, right now there are subcategories that just loop endlessly. Take for instance the Cryptids category, the first subcategory is Cryptids! While this problem does not need a taxonomy based system to be fixed I feel it is a symptom of the way this board is categorized. My plan is to use taxonomic groupings from kingdoms, phyla, class, and orders. I feel like orders are the perfect blend of being specific enough but also being broad enough. For instance, Mokele-mbembe is a saurischian yet we don't know which group of sauropods it comes from. In some other cases one could go to the family level but I feel like that would be unneeded as there aren't too many cryptids for each order category. Using the categories: Each cryptid should be placed in its most specific taxonomic grouping, no where else. For example, the Oklahoma octopus is presumed to be an actual octopus 99% of the time, therefore it belongs in the ORDER Octopoda. The Kuwak however, has been hypothesized to be a saurischian but has also been thought to be a monitor lizard. Therefore it belongs in the CLASS Reptilia and is NOT placed in both Saurischia and Squamata. If any of us have doubts on the placement of a crytid it would probably be best to put that in the comments section of its page so that more people will see it. Cosmetics: Use the scientific name for each kingdom, phyla, class, and order in order (gotta have at least one pun) to make life easier as the common names for some of the groups have already been used, a common theme ought to be used, and that some of these groupings don't always have nice common names e.g. Saurischia. I don't know if you can change category pictures so one ought to use a rather charasmatic cryptid with a good picture to represent each group for the category picture. For example, I used Mokele-mbembe for the first saurischian so when someone clicks on Reptilia they have a nice picture to be able to make their decision on what category is what. Random thoughts: I imagine most members and guests of this wikia are on the younger side and I feel like using a taxonomic system would be beneficial to learning how to classify organisms and may help them memorize some names. As far as the weirder cryptids go I am sure I can think up some scientific sounding name. This system should not interfere with the geography system but it would clean up many of the rather vague subcategories. If you need me to I can explain some of my ideas/concepts further. I already created a rather simple taxonomy based system for the Mokele-mbembe, Oklahoma octopus, and a few others and you can follow that as a template. http://cryptidz.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Animalia Thank you for taking the time to read this, ~At0m Category:Blog posts